Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-08-25
EDUCATING COLTS


H0W . G0oA F0anaattoa ter Ha1aeas TsaSoe
ing NAY He Laid.
Having taught the colt to walk
bri<kiJ and fearlessly. to stop at the
word ..Whoa." and to start promptly at
the command to Get up" you may
now teach him the next lcsson-tO
trot So far you will have occasion to
use only :he term Get up" STEADY"
and Whoa" You now want the colt
to trot. Use the ''Chick" aud start on
. run. and the colt will follow your ex-
ample. If not, a whip may be carried
in the left hand and the colt touched
lightly on the hind legs. for while I
deprecate the use Of whip rs means
Of punishment, it may be used as 3
help in educating a colt. The best Po-
sition. and, in fact the only safe and
proper position to take IN heading
colt or . horse is in front OF the left
shoulder. You can thea take the hall
ter in the left hand. and. placing the
right hand on the cclt's neck, just in
front of the top of the colts shoulder.
YOU will find it great help when the
colt is moving on sharp t.ot. In
training the colt to trot it should be
encouraged to increase It's speed, but
never allowed to break. Hit breaks. it
should be stopped and taken back and
started over the same ground at a more
moderate pace. All that is required
now is to repeat the lessons and make
no mistakes. Kindness and patience
in the halter training Of colt are of
the utmost importance.
One more halter lesson is yet to be
given and very important one, name
~, to teach him to stand tied without
pulling on the halter. See that the
halter is strong in every part and that
the ring or bar to which it is to be
fastened can not be pulled out or
broken. In the case of colt two or
three years old. it would be advisable
to have in addition to the halter. II
strap around its neck, with strong
rope and fastened the right length to
receive portion of the strain. But
this is not necessary with the colt we
are now training. Having adjusted
the halter, lead the colt into the stall
and make the halter fast and pass out
quickly. The colt will naturally want
to follow. and when he feels the re-
straint will be likely to pull. If the
floor is plank and a little slippery so
that he falls, all the better. Let him
get up when he chooses to. He will
not be likely to make the second trial.
Leave him, but keep within hearing
distance and occasionally take look
to see that all is right When he has
become reconciled to lis situation,
pass quietly up to his head and give
him 4 little feed. Do not leave him
tied and go out of hearing distance.
nor leave him tied at night until he is
quite rcconciled to his new condition.
Now you may tie him alongside of an
other horse in the team and drive
them until he becomes accustomed to
the sight and sound of the wagon.
You will also lead him up to objects
that you want to get him accustomed
to. Put blanket on him quietly.
handle his feet and get him accus-
toned to brush and curry comb. a
good time to do this is when he is u
little warm and his skin itchcs, at the
close of his lesson. His halter cduc:-
ton is now finished, and if no mis-
takes have been made good founda.
ton is laid for future harness training.
Cor. Farm, and Home.